Bananarama was just the beginning. There’s been a year’s worth of festivities for the 50th anniversary of the Sonia Rykiel label. The ’80s trio’s postshow performance last March was followed by a special haute couture presentation and celebrity sweater collaboration project in early July. But tonight’s naming of a Sixth Arrondissement allée after the late designer was something special. It’s an honor no other Paris designer enjoys, and Mayor Anne Hidalgo turned up to do the unveiling.
The naming ceremony gave Rykiel creative director Julie de Libran her show location and collection theme. The allée in question is home to a Sunday morning organic market, or marché bio as they’re known in these parts, and De Libran is a regular. It’s her “weekend obsession” not only for the food on offer, but also the eclectic cast of characters it attracts. Her idea was to re-create the atmosphere, from the kids and dogs she put on the runway—her son and his new Labrador retriever puppy made cameos—to the vibes of the clothes.
In Paris, the “Sunday scaries” apparently don’t kick in until the afternoon. The morning is the time to nip out for fresh fruit and a baguette in your lace nightie and techno trench, sporting stretch-knit sandals on bare feet. Or jogging suits. Or Marinière stripes. “It’s a day of no rules,” she said, and the relaxed, nonchalant attitude of the collection was winning, though there were pantsuits and other pieces that didn’t strictly say “weekend.”
De Libran used market bags as a design motif, reinterpreting them as all manner of openwork and fishnet knits. The stall awnings were translated as stripes on sweaterdresses and a coat. Her big leap forward in this engaging show was her move toward sustainable materials, like recycled polyester and something she called organic leather. Europe tends to seem behind the U.S. when it comes to earth-friendly fashion practices, so kudos to De Libran for convincing the Sonia Rykiel business side that sustainability is a worthwhile endeavor. Indeed, to make it another 50 years, it won’t just be worthwhile, it’ll become essential. Best to get out in front as much as possible.
